Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team opens conference play against border rival New Hampshire on Wednesday, Jan. 2 at the Cross Insurance Center. Maine is 12-10 in America East openers, dating back to the league's start in 1996-97. Maine, which is 30-3 against league opponents in its last 33 conference games at the Cross Insurance Center, will be playing at home for the first time in nearly a month (Dec. 8).
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Tale of the Tape
| Maine |
Category |
UNH |
| 7-6/0-0 |
Record/Conference |
3-10/0-0 |
| 64.2 |
Points Per Game |
54.5 |
| 66.5 |
Opponent Points Per Game |
66.8 |
| -2.3 |
Scoring Margin |
-12.3 |
| 40.5 |
Field Goal Percentage |
36.1 |
| 30.1 |
3-Point Field Goal Percentage |
23.8 |
| 65.7 |
Free Throw Percentage |
70.4 |
| 30.7 |
Rebounds Per Game |
33.4 |
| -7 |
Rebound Margin |
-6.2 |
| 15.0 |
Assists Per Game |
11.8 |
| 11.7 |
Turnovers Per Game |
15.5 |
| 2.5 |
Blocks Per Game |
3.4 |
| 8.4 |
Steals Per Game |
7.5 |
LAST TIME OUT:
Bronx, N.Y. --
Tanesha Sutton tallied her eight career double-double while
Blanca Millan poured in 25 points but it would not be enough at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defeated Maine, 66-61, in the Fordham Holiday Classic consolation game on Sunday afternoon.
The loss wraps up Maine's non-conference mark, which featured 13 contests against 10 teams who appeared in postseason play in 2017-18, at 7-5.
For her efforts in the Holiday Classic, Millan was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals during tho two games.
Millan's point total marked the 21st time in her career in which she's notched 20 or more points in a game, and the sixth time this season. Sutton, who pulled down the 500th rebound of her career, ended the day with 17 points and 11 boards.
The Black Bears continued their trend of protecting the ball, turning it over just nine times against the Mocs, marking the fourth time this season in which they've turned it over less than 10 times.
Chattanooga's bench outscored Maine 37-9, led by its two double-digit scoring leaders in Shelbie Davenport (13) and Eboni Williams (11).
The game, which featured seven lead changes and six ties, opened with a 7-0 Chattanooga run over the games first 2:30 minutes.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears are coming off a pair of nail biting defeats at the Fordham Holiday Classic where they dropped an overtime decision to Fordham before falling by five to UT Chattanooga.
Blanca Millan was honored to the All-Tournament team after averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals during tournament play. During the tournament, Millan moved by Melissa Heon and into 18th on Maine's all-time scoring list. Millan currently stands just 19 points away from passing Stacey Porrini for 17th all-time (1,128).
The Black Bears' offense checks in second among the America East, averaging 64.2 points per game. Maine ranks second in the league with a 40.5-percent mark from the floor and lead the league with 7.9 three-point field goals per game. Through 13 games, Millan leads all America East scorers at 18.5 points per game. Millan has posted double-digit scoring efforts in 11 games while totaling 20 or more in six different games. The junior guard has also been impressive on the defensive end of the court where she leads the America East with 2.9 steals per game.
Tanesha Sutton, who has posted double-figures in each of her last three games, ranks sixth in the America East at 13.9 points per game. Sutton, fresh off her eighth career double-double, leads the America East in rebounding at 7.5 boards per game while her 46.7-percent mark from the floor ranks third best.
Dor Saar, who has tallied five or more assists in eight games, including a career-best 11 in a win over Brown, ranks second in the America East at 5.2 assists per game.
Parise Rossignol checks in 16th best among America East leaders at 9.4 points per game.
Maine has been extremely impressive with its ball protection. Through non-conference play, Maine is averaging just 11.7 offensive turnovers per game; the sixth best mark in the nation. In four games, the Black Bears have turned the ball over less than 10 times. Entering last weekend, Maine ranked seventh in the nation out of 349 teams in turnovers per game.
Defensively, the Black Bears rank seventh in the league as they are allowing 66.5 points per game. Maine also featured three players (Millan, Rossignol and Saar) who rank in the top-10 of America East leaders in three-point field goals per game.
A LOOK AT NEW HAMPSHIRE:
The Wildcats, who are 0-7 on the road this season, enter play attempting to snap a three-game losing skid after suffering a 90-42 setback on Saturday against Princeton. New Hampshire, predicted to finish seventh in the America East preseason coaches poll, have struggled on the offensive end during its non-conference slate. The Wildcats open America East play ranked seventh in the league and 329th in the nation, averaging just 54.5 points per game. Defense has also been hard to come by for UNH, who ranks eighth in the America East allowing 66.8 points per game.
Ashley Storey leads the scoring attack for the Wildcats, ranking third in the league at 16.8 points per game. Storey has been highly efficient from the floor, checking in second among league leaders with a 47.6-percent mark from the field while her 218 total points are tops in the America East. Storey has also been strong on the boards, averaging 6.1 per game for the Wildcats. Kari Brekke is averaging 8.3 points per game while Caroline Soucy is adding 8.0 points and 5.6 boards.
SERIES WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE:
Maine and New Hampshire will meet for the 91st time in their storied history. The Black Bears enter play with a 55-35 advantage in the series and have matched up against UNH the second most times of any of its opponents (Vermont-92). Dating back to 1985, Maine is 24-9 at home against the Wildcats. Maine has won four-straight in the series, including a 64-48 a year ago in the America East semifinals. In that win, Millan (16), Sutton (14) and Rossignol (13) all finished in double-digits. Maine's defense held UNH to a 29.1-percent showing from the field in the semifinal contest. The two teams first met in 1920, a 15-13 victory by the Wildcats. Millan, who has tallied double-figures in each of her six outings with UNH including 16 point showings in all three games against the Wildcats last season, is averaging 13.8 points per game in the series.
SEASON NOTES:
COLLEGE INSIDER MID-MAJOR TOP 25 POLL - No. 17 (12/26/18)
The Black Bears have been ranked in every edition of the College Insider Mid-Major Poll this season. Following a five-game win streak, Maine peaked in the poll at No. 12 on Dec. 5, hanging strong at the position for two-straight weeks. The Black Bears have been the highest ranking America East school in the poll this season and are currently the only America East school ranked in the latest edition of the poll, released on Dec. 26. Maine currently sits at No. 17 in the newest poll.
TO BE THE BEST, YOU'VE GOT TO BEAT THE BEST:
The Black Bears have challenged themselves with one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country. Through its first 12 games, Maine currently has gone up against the 32nd toughest schedule in the nation, out of 349 total Division I squads. Maine's competition is currently posting a 0.643 win percentage (90-50). Maine's rating percentage index (RPI) currently sits at 36 nationally. RPI is used to rank teams based upon a team's wins and losses and its strength of schedule. Maine's 13 non-conference games included contests against 10 teams who appeared in the 2017-18 postseason in one form or another.
TURNOVER EFFICIENCY:
Maine has been extremely impressive with its ball control this season. The Black Bears currently rank sixth in the nation, averaging just 11.7 turnovers per game as a team. Maine's 1.28 assist-turnover ratio is 16th best among the nation's leaders. In seven of its 13 games, Maine has turned the ball over just 11 times or fewer, with four of those performances ending with single-digit turnover totals.
A SCORING EFFORT FOR THE RECORD BOOKS:
On Dec. 8, 2018, the Black Bears defeated Brown by a 102-96 final in overtime at the Cross Insurance Center. That win marked the highest combined point total for a Black Bear women's basketball game in history (198). It also marked the second time an
Amy Vachon coached team hit the century mark, and the first 100 point effort for Maine against a Division I team since a 110 point effort in 1997 against Drexel.
MILLAN QUICK TO 1,000:
On a three-point field goal in the first quarter at Harvard (12/4),
Blanca Millan became the 20th Black Bear in history to reach 1,000 career points. Millan did so in her 75th career game, making her the seventh fastest in UMaine history to eclipse the mark. With 25 points against Chattanooga, Millan moved into 18th on Maine's all-time scoring list. She currently stands just 19 points away from passing Stacey Porrini for 17th all-time (1,128).
MILLAN TALLIES 30, ASSISTED BY SAAR:
Blanca Millan poured in a career-best 36 points in Maine's win over Brown. The total marked the first-time a Maine player had bested 30 points in a game since
Sigi Koizar tallied 30 on Feb. 20, 2016. In that same game,
Dor Saar notched a career-high 11 assists - the first time a Black Bear had bested 10 assist sin a game since Koizar's 10 against North Dakota State on Nov. 22, 2015.
RECORD NIGHT IN NORTH CAROLINA:
The Black Bears matched an all-time, single-game record for three-point field goals with 16 makes in their win at North Carolina.
STORMING BACK TO WIN THE CLASSIC:
In both of its games at the Navy Classic (vs. NC A&T and vs. Penn), Maine trailed both at the half and with five-minutes to go. However, Maine was able to comeback in both games, winning each and capturing the Navy Classic title.
MILLAN DOUBLE-FIGURE STREAK:
After starting the season with double-figures in each of Maine's first five games,
Blanca Millan has tallied double-digits in 11 of Maine's first 13, including back-to-back 20+ point efforts against Bryant (23) and #20 Duke (25), a 21 point showing at North Carolina and 26 points at Harvard. Millan's season-best effort came in a career-high 36 point showing against Brown. Dating back to last season, Millan has posted double-digit scoring totals in 41 of her last 44. In all, Millan has finished in double-digits in 58 of her 80 career contests.
MILLAN CLIMBING THE ALL-TIME STEALS CHART:
Millan has tallied 197 steals over her time at UMaine. Her five steals against Brown moved her ahead of Melissa Heon and into seventh all-time at Maine. Millan currently stands 26 steals away from sixth all-time at Maine (224).
SUTTON ON THE BOARDS:
Tanesha Sutton currently leads Maine, and ranks first in the conference, at 7.5 rebounds per game. On Dec. 30 against Chattanooga, Sutton tallied her eighth career double-double, also tallying her 500th career rebound along the way. Taking a look at Maine's all-time rebounding standings, Sutton is 43 boards behind Ashley Roberts for 20th all-time (552).
DEFENSE = VICTORY
The Black Bears have prided themselves on the defensive end of the court, leading the America East a year ago with a 56.6 scoring defense. The total ranked 24th in the nation. In its last 27 outings, Maine is 24-1 when holding its opponent to 60 or fewer points. The Black Bears are 32-4 in the Vachon era when limiting teams to 60 or less.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Black Bears have been impressive at home as of late. Maine is 49-6 on its home court in its last 55 outings, including a 30-3 mark in America East play over the past 33 league contests. The home mark includes a 21-game win streak, including a 13-0 home record in 2015-16. Last season, Maine went 12-2 at home and averaged 70.1 points per game with a +15.6 scoring margin while averaging 9.1 three-point field goals. In 2017-18,
Blanca Millan averaged 18.7 points while shooting 47.7% and averaging 3.3 steals at home. Under Coach Vachon, the Black Bears are 21-3 at home.
ANNE SIMON SIGNS NLI:
On Nov. 21, it was announced that Anne Simon signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Black Bears for the 2019-20 season. Simon, a 5'8" guard from Sandweiler, Luxembourg, was a three-year captain for her Luxembourg National Team. Simon averaged 16.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists at the 2018 European Championship. During her career at the National Team level, Simon has averaged 10.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
-UMaine-
